2011 NFL Draft Mailbag

NFL Draft Mailbag Notes: These are not actually e-mails. They are comments left on the comment board in my 2011 NFL Mock Draft. I've included some of these comments and my responses to them.

3/28/11

2011 NFL Draft E-mails - Cam Newton

From Chris E:

How in the world can anyone compare Gabbert to Newton (who has the size and tools to change the QB position). Gabbert attempted 500 or so passes and threw 16 TDs. Meanwhile Cam made the SEC look like Pop Warner football, scoring at will and dominating while his family was being thrown under the bus EVERYDAY... Honestly, someone as athletic as him...how long will it take him to learn better footwork?? His arm and throwing motion are already there and he's a winner... If Alex Smith and Tim Couch are 1st overall pick worthy, how in the hell is Cam not??

--> The problem with Newton is the mental stuff. Is he smart enough to ever learn how to make multiple reads and recognize the blitz? He didn't have to do that at Auburn because the Tigers ran a Looney Tunes offense that doesn't translate to the pros.

From Tad D:

hey walter! i have a real quick question: IF (cannot put enough emphasis on the if) Cam Newton is available at 10, do you think the Redskins draft him or does he fall two more spots to the Vikings? Thanks!

--> I don't see Newton fitting Shanahan's offense, so the Vikings would draft him. I can't see Newton falling out of the top three though.

From Howard P:

Now I know why they call it "mock". $cam Newton first overall, to Carolina and their fascist owner? You're out of your goddamn mind. "He's a leader", "he has 'it'". He has 'it', alright, 'it' being $180,000 for playing at Auburn while the Nationally Corrupt Athletic Association scapegoated his old man and looked the other way. Newton is a cheat, a liar, a fraud and a crook. He'll wind up like Reggie Bush, in a few years Auburn will be on probation and $cam Newton will be giving back the Heisman Trophy he didn't deserve in the first place. Newton sucks, he's a tailback taking snaps. He can't throw, can't make reads and can't think. But boy, he's got a great smile and can bullshit the media even when he does tell the truth momentarily "I'm going to be a big entertainer, that's what I really want to do". Hope the a**hole can sing and dance, because he can't play quarterback in the NFL.

Frankly, Jerry Richardson is such an obnoxious fascist, I'd like to see him get stuck with this creep, the 2011 Akili Smith. But I like the Panthers, so I hope that senile Ralph Wilson gets stuck with this bum. Did I mention you're out of your goddamn mind?

--> Adam Schefter said the first pick will be a quarterback. All the Charlotte newspapers believe it'll be a quarterback. The Panthers need a franchise quarterback. Whether it's the right move or not, the pick will be a quarterback. And the Panthers may not like Blaine Gabbert.

From Xhevahir:

This mock draft is hilarious. It's almost as if the author kept all of the text from previous mock drafts that explained why Cam Newton was the inevitable first overall pick and then just replaced his name with Gabbert's.

--> I'll be here all week. When I mocked Cam Newton to Carolina, I wasn't mocking a certain player; I was predicting that the Panthers would draft a quarterback. That's why most of the text still applies.

From Brandon:

Worst Bills draft yet. Worse than if Buffalo actually did it. They wont take Newton. Nix stress's character and doesnt gamble early. Peterson, or Miller there. This whole draft you add a starting TE? Maybe an ILB? man this is just bad.

--> Might as well copy-paste a Rotoworld report from Thursday:

Sources tell ESPN 101's Tony Softli that the Bills believe Cam Newton "is the franchise quarterback" the organization needs. The same sources feel Buffalo is a good fit because Ryan Fitzpatrick can be a placeholder while Newton "develops." The situation could be similar to Donovan McNabb's when he broke into the league, often coming off the bench behind Doug Pederson. We're just not sure Newton is going to make it past the Panthers at No. 1. The Bills would probably take him if he does.

In your face, Brandon!

From Justin:

Just seen that this site has Blaine Gabbert as a round 3-4 prospect in the 2012 rankings, and Cam Newton as a round 4-5 prospect. How have they shot so high?

--> Those 2012 rankings were updated back in July, so Cam Newton hadn't even played at Auburn yet. Blaine Gabbert's rise has been the product of a weak quarterbacking class and a major need at the position from so many teams in the top 15.